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Hurricane Milton brought unprecedented rainfall and life-threatening storm surges to Florida after making landfall near Siesta Key on Wednesday night. Initially a Category 3 storm with sustained winds of 120 mph, it weakened to a Category 1 as it moved inland but remains dangerous.
Hurricane Milton brought unprecedented rainfall and life-threatening storm surges to Florida after making landfall near Siesta Key on Wednesday night. Initially a Category 3 storm with sustained winds of 120 mph, it weakened to a Category 1 as it moved inland but remains dangerous.
- Power Outages: Over 2 million homes and businesses lost power as Milton moved inland, with some areas near Siesta Key reporting over 70% of energy customers affected.
- High Wind Gusts: Wind gusts exceeded 100 mph in several locations, with peaks of 107 mph in Venice and 105 mph near Tampa Bay.
- Tornado Casualties: A tornado in St. Lucie County caused multiple fatalities in a mobile home community, with significant damage reported to hundreds of homes.
- Widespread Damage: Early reports indicate flooded roads, flying debris, and extensive home damage. In St. Petersburg, winds tore off the roof of Tropicana Field, and Tampa experienced severe flash flooding.
- Record Rainfall: St. Petersburg recorded over 16 inches of rain in just three hours, surpassing three months’ worth of average rainfall.
- Historic Storms: Milton is the third hurricane to hit Florida this year, a rare occurrence matched only five times since 1871.
- Future Forecast: Milton is expected to maintain its hurricane strength as it moves through central Florida, impacting cities like Lakeland, Kissimmee, Orlando, and Cape Canaveral.
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